RESILIENCE, INSPIRATION AND DETERMINATION

Authentic resilience, inspiration and determination are truly one of the most challenging qualities one can hope to come by. These qualities, which take years and decades to acquire and distil to their purest form, are the driving force of people who not only dream of change but also make it happen.

This year’s International Women’s Day Conference, organised and hosted by the honourable Adriana Flores, Executive Director of  ProtocolToday Consulting and Academy, brought together some of the most distinguished speakers in Diplomacy and Business. The event, in essence, was a unique and open platform to the global membership of The ProtocolToday family as it commemorated International Women’s Day by focusing on the central theme of Embracing Equity. Adriana and her core team created something more than a conventional webinar or Q&A session. The conference provided a deep insight into the role of a female leader and role model from various perspectives, socially and professionally, on an intense and moving personal level. The integral factor that made this conference genuinely exceptional was the warmth and relatability of the speakers and their stories. Each speaker brought a new perspective into the discussion, shared their personal stories and experiences and gave invaluable advice to the audience.

The remarkable speakers, amongst who was the Ambassador of Tanzania – H.E. Irene Kasyanju (Rte) and Isabelle Niekrake– an Economic Affairs Councillor at the Embassy of the Kingdom of The Netherlands to Mexico, Stéphanie Kasereka, a Student of International Relations in Spain gave the audience a unique blend of inspiration and determination to succeed through their warm aura and professional yet friendly delivery. Each speaker distinctively engaged the audience by explaining their outlook on female equity within the business and diplomatic echelons while highlighting the most influential female roles within society worldwide- mother, daughter and sister. It was unanimously agreed that women are unquestionably the building blocks of a more progressive and prosperous world, which must be seen and recognised across all parts of a modern global society. 

With outstanding input from Adriana, part of the conference they discussed the combination of family and business worlds in a modern woman’s life and the many ways this merger is already taking place. As there is still a strong resistance and conventional belief that a woman should choose one or another whilst strongly favouring family life over work, business or any other professional endeavour, Adriana and the team of speakers showed that both could be successfully combined. Any woman can excel in both family life and the business world. The vast audience followed each speaker with several follow-up questions, which depicted an enormous drive to celebrate and take part in this new and promising future for women, especially when real-life success stories were told right in from each attendee. The conference was impactful because each speaker made each attendee feel that if there were a wish, there would be a way.

Unsettling conventional structures and ways of life was never for the fainthearted. Change requires hard work and bravery for each woman in the world who demands not only equality and closure of the gender pay gap but also equity. Recognition and a level playing field is not a privilege; it is a necessity that has to be propelled and embraced at an alarming rate if we were to truly explore a whole realm of creativity and sheer talent of women across the world, which make up the half of the global working force. The conference was ultimately a living and breathing example that this could be done, achieved, and success can be attained as women around the world spark this change by inspiring, supporting and raising each other.

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